1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector device which can be used for both a memory card and a hard disk drive package serving as a data storage device to be connected to a personal computer, a laptop computer or a Notebook-PC.
2. Description of the Related Art
The recent development in personal computers has created what has become known as the laptop computer which is substantially portable and consumes little power. A further advancement on the laptop computer is the so-called Notebook-PC.
As the size reduction of the computer device such the personal computer, the laptop computer or the Notebook-PC is promoted, demand has arisen for increasing its data storage capacity at low cost. To increase the processing speed of stored data and to increase the capacity, it is preferable to use a memory card or a hard disk as a data storage medium rather than a floppy disk.
The memory card is advantageous as it is detachably mounted in a computer device and is portable.
Although a low-profile, portable hard disk drive (HDD) package incorporating a hard disk is available, it is comparatively expensive. Accordingly, when an HDD package is integrally assembled in each individual computer device, the cost of the computer device is increased.
Furthermore, if the computer device incorporates the HDD package, even a third person can start the operating system. Therefore, data stored in the hard disk can be illegally used or misused.
For these reasons, it is demanded that an HDD package is detachably connected to a computer device in the same manner as a memory card, so that the single HDD package can be compatible used with a plurality of computer devices, and separated from the computer device and stored or carried. To detachably connect the HDD package to the computer device is preferable to allow an end user with a wide choice of the operating system, as specifications of hard disks differ from each other depending on operating systems.